Jackie Jackson

Clifton Courtney "Jackie" Jackson (22 March 1947 – 23 September 2026) was a Jamaican bass player, who was an important and prolific session musician and bassist on ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub and discomix records throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and was later a member of Toots and the Maytals.

Life and career

Jackson was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on 22 March 1947 and grew up in central Kingston. His uncle was a well-known musician, Luther Williams, whose sister Mavis gave Jackson piano lessons. He attended a music school, and started playing bass after seeing Lloyd Brevett play with the Skatalites. Jackson was also influenced by Motown records, particularly the bass playing of James Jamerson. He joined his first band, Ty and the Titans, after the existing bassist left. After two years with the band, he joined the Cavaliers, led by Lester Sterling. When the Skatalites broke up, Jackson was approached by saxophonist Tommy McCook, who was forming a new band, the Supersonics. Jackson joined McCook's band, and remained with them for five years.

At his first recording session in 1967 with producer Duke Reid, he played on "Girl I've Got A Date" by Alton Ellis, which is considered one...

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